No constraint for land purchase for Aranmula Airport project

Pathanamthitta: Contrary to some recent reports, there is no constraint for purchase of land by the KGS Aranmula International Airport Company for the proposed Rs.2,000 crore Greenfield airport being developed at Aranmula. In a communiqué, the company has clarified that the ceiling of 15 acres of land that is allowed to be kept by companies is not relevant for the airport projects.

As per the provisions of the Kerala State Land Utilisation Act, exemptions are given to hold land in excess of 15 acres to institutions like educational establishments. In the case of the Aranmula Airport project, the government order No 1262/2010 dated 8.9.2010, which gave the no objection certificate for the project , explicitly directs the company to acquire the 500 acres required for the project.

The government order has directed the company to ‘acquire for itself, land for the Greenfield airport project that it plans to start in Pathanamthitta district, complying with provisions of existing laws’. The company has so far registered about 350 acres of land in its name, and the government order exempts it from attracting the 15-acre land ceiling provision. The fact that the company has so far been able to register about 350 acres in its name, underlines the government permission that it enjoys to acquire land for the project.

According to P T Nandakumar, Executive Director, KGS Aranmula International Airport, “Moreover, unlike in the case of many sectors, in the case of airports land cannot first be purchased and then sanctions applied for. To establish an airport, the location has to be approved first by concerned agencies like the Airport Authority of India and civil aviation, before land can be acquired for the project.”

He also clarified that the company has so far purchased land only with the free will of the sellers, and wishes to clarify that there is no need for eviction of any person in realizing the airport project. The company has so far not received any communication from any government authorities in this connection, and the company is committed to implementing the project, observing all procedures as laid down by the law.